As you know, the rioting was severe in Croydon but our borough particularly suffered from fires which damaged shops and residential premises. People were hastily evacuated from flats above burning shops in London Road and elsewhere. We have interviewed people who came out carrying their children and nothing else.
Many people were made homeless and have lost everything. Croydon council is endeavouring to find places for them to live. However, the council can only go so far - they are not set up to furnish homes.
Formerly homeless people, currently living in emergency accommodation, are given a key to a new flat and arrive to find it empty. There is usually no cooker, and never a bed or fridge or any other item that forms the basis of home living. They have no household utensils or other domestic items.
We have run a resettlement programme for former homeless people in Croydon for more than ten years, and have therefore offered to apply our skills to help these newly homeless people into their new ccommodation with furniture and household goods. The council is asking for help with ten families (who are being given priority) and they believe there are another 100 people who have been affected by the riots.
Of course, we did not budget for this number of newly homeless people in the borough. We expect the initial cost to be £10,000. Any donations would be welcome. We are proceeding with this urgent work in the certainty that people will step forward and donate the funds, and when the bills come, we can pay them.
Anyone wanting to make donations of furniture can make them to the furniture project Emmaus who are on 0208 761 4276 - not to us, please, as we do not have the storage or moving facilities.
Cheques should be payable to Nightwatch and sent to PO Box 9576, London, SE23 3ZH. Alternatively, by BACS: our account is with Lloyds TSB and, the sort code is 77-30-01. The account number 88134460 and the account name Nightwatch.
